Following detailed investigation of the game of golf and many types of presently-available golf gloves, it has been found that one of the major reasons conventional golf gloves do not and cannot provide an improved grip of the golfer's hand upon the club handle is that such gloves closely follow the contour of the normal hand facing surfaces when the hand is fully extended. Both friction-type and non-friction-type gripping strips have been utilized on prior art gloves on their exterior facing surfaces to prevent slippage of the club in the golfer's hand; however, such strips do not improve the actual grip of the golfer's hand about the club. Exterior pads have also been provided on the glove gripping surfaces, both by themselves and in combination with non-slip strips. Such pads and strips have primarily been provided to cushion the golfer's hand to prevent blisters and callouses as well as undue muscle fatigue. Such additions have been somewhat successful for their intended purposes while not significantly improving the gripping technique of the golfer's hand about the club handle area.
Conventional golf gloves are unable to improve the gripping technique of the golfer's hand on the club since upon gripping the golf club in the hand, it is readily apparent that certain voids and other open areas are present between the surface of the hand and the surface of the golf club hand grip when a conventional single-layer glove is used. This is true whether the club grip is round, oval or other contoured shape such as a reminder grip to help maintain the club gripping surface in proper alignment with the clubhead face. The golf glove serves as an adhesive force between the club grip and the golfer's hand. The voids and open areas severely limit the firm contact area between golfer's hand and the golf club grip such that a substantial amount of control of the club during swinging movement is lost especially at the extremities of the swing. Such voids and open areas are created as a result of the contrasting soft fleshy portions of the fingers and especially the palm of the individual's hand when the golfer's hand grips the contoured surface of the golf club grip. The palmar area of the glove normally wrinkles at the crease areas of the palm of the hand when gripping the club, thereby decreasing the hand holding power. It is essential that the golfer be able to recreate and repetitiously perform the proper gripping action of the club at address of the ball and during the swing for best results and continuing improvement.
In golf language and especially in the language of teaching golf, it is nearly impossible to define the term "feel" when a right-handed golfer grips the golf club shaft with both hands, the right hand being termed the power hand, and the left hand, which is normally situated above the right hand on the golf club grip, being termed the accuracy hand. Innumerable definitions have been set forth to describe the "feel" of the golf club grip in the golfer's hands, and many explanations have been set forth as to what the term "feel" actually means. It has been concluded by many professional golfers that the relationship between the hands and the brain is all important wherein the brain takes into account many environmental as well as mental and physical factors at the particular time when the golf club grip is grasped in proper relationship as taught by many golf teaching experts. Additionally, "feel" is commonly defined in the golfer's sense of the golf club grip in the golfer's hands and how the brain perceives the golf club to be grasped in the hands when properly held at address immediately prior to swinging movement. The sensory perception of the pressure information from the hands to the brain allows the brain to make the proper decisions at address of the ball which then inform the golfer's muscles how to move and/or adjust the hands upon the golf club. Thus, the brain determines that a correct "feel" is obtained as the golfer prepares for hitting the ball.
As is common knowledge, virtually all right-hand golfers prefer to wear a golf glove on their left hand, both to protect the hand and provide increased accuracy of the gripping action and to improve the swinging movement of the club for consistent and repeatable hitting. The palm of the hand in its natural position is slightly concave providing a concavity which deepens as the hand flexes in grasping the golf club grip. When the smaller fingers at one side of the concavity of the palmar area, on the opposite side of the concavity from the thumb, feel the greatest pressure on the straight club shaft lying across the palm, the diagonal relationship of the club to palm allows the minor fingers of the hand starting with the little and ring fingers to apply initial pressure on the golf club handle. When the club is properly held, the minor fingers of the hand starting with the little, ring and middle fingers, in that order, close around and surround the club handle. If the accuracy hand is deformed from the preferred grip when grasping the club as well as when making the swing, control of the swing may be substantially altered due to club slippage and positive firm gripping may not be maintainable throughout the swing. Problems of maintaining the proper grip throughout the swing especially at its extremities may be considered as a primary cause of golf being referred to as an especially difficult game.
It is a noticeable trend of many golfers to wear very tight gloves in an attempt to enhance "feel" by being able to feel the glove on the hand and the club handle through the glove. The actual gripping force is deleteriously affected as the closed hand within the glove produces voids or open areas in the fold or crease areas of the palm which are contrary to obtaining improved gripping with more uniform compressive force of the hand on the club grip. This is most critical during the address and swing. During the swing, the clubhead creates centrifugal force which tends to pull the club out of the hand. Also torsional forces are created which tend to turn the clubface out of precise alignment with the target. The latter forces are rotational in nature which are most pronounced when the grip weakens or the guiding accuracy hand separates in the least amount from the club grip area, especially at or near the top of the backswing. A weak grip is the most common reason for a bad or undesirable shot as taught by most professionals. The present invention of an improved golf glove solves the problem of proper gripping and its continued maintenance throughout the swing.